Controlled-aperture scanning disk



f 1930'. c. F. JENKINS 7 1,748,383

' .CONTR OLLED APERTURE SCANNING DISK Filed June 8, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheetl Feb. 25; 1930. ENKI 1,748,383

' CONTROLLED APERTURE SdANNING DIS K Filed June 8, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 29am ntoz Feb. 25, 1930.

Q F. JENKINS CONTROLLED APERTURE SCANNING DI SK Filed June 8, 1927 4Sheets-Sheet Feb. 25, 1930. m m; 1,748,383

CONTROLLED APERTURE SCANNINGDISK Filed June 8, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 5'I' :0, f 2 a E.

Patented Feb. 25,1930

" UNITED STATES PATENT oer-ICE omnrms rumors .rrmxm's, or wasnmeron,nrsrmcr or COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR ro mnxms monnronms, or wnsnme'ron,nrsrnrc'r or COLUMBIA, A con- Pomrrou or'rrm nrsrnrcror Cowman YCONTROLLED-APERTURE SCANNING, DISK Applicationfiled June 8, 192:7.Serial No. 197,453.

- This .invention relates -to the electrical 7 transmission of motionpictures, and has for its particular object means for scanning a picturesurface w1th multiple pencils of light controlled separately.

-Powerful searchlights 'are now available,

is, therefore, necessary to employ other means This is attained in thepresent invention by interposing an indestructible scanning disk in thelight beam, and building up the projected pictureby opening and closingthe apertures of the disk by a-master motion picture.

With this and other objects in view the invention consists in the noveldetails of construction and combinations of parts morefully hereinafterdisclosed andp'articularly I pointed out in theclaims.

T In the drawings like symbols refer to like parts in which Fig. 1 is anelevation of the projector; Fig. 2 a schematic drawingof the mastercontrol picture mechanism; Fig. 3 the 3 5 scanning disk, and Figs. 4, 5and 6 details of the several mechanisms.

In the figures, A is a Searchlight, trunnioned ina frame B. C is .alatticed framework attached to the lamp and extending in i 40-'the-direction of'the light beam. This lat ticed frame carriesat its farend a lens D. In

the back focus of the lens is a rotary scanning disk E, driven'by amotor F; v

a On the scanning disk each aperture is closed by shutters G (Fig. 3),mounted on pivots G (shown in detail in Figs. 4, 5 and 6),

' with bellcrank attachment to rod G 1 The lower crank end of. G engageswith the bar -'H of the armature J of the electro magnet K.TTlTeTearesix of these magnets, duplicates of the HJ -K unit, amagnetunit for each aperture of the six apertures of the radial rows ofapertures. Each HJ.K unit is stationarily fixed. As each row ofbellcranks passes these magnets each of the six 3 aperture shutters isopened by its particular magnet-armature bar H for so long as light isneeded through that aperture to build up the motion picture projected onthe clouds.

- The six magnets are attached by wires to brushes M, one magnet toeachbrush. These "brrishes bear upon six adjacent rings of commutatorsegments N, eight'segments to each ring. These segments are connected bywire 0 to six corresponding brushes P on disk Q.

The rotation of the disk sweeps these brushes P overthe face of each ofthe frames. R .of the motion picture ribbon S. a 4 The individual framesare each a zinc etching, or other suitablejmaster frame, and the brushessweeping ovker. the face vof these 1 frames make contact with the highparts of the picture to close an electric circuit, the return wire ofwhich is common to all. Each of the several. frames of the motionpicture series differs from adjacent frames, .much as the frames ofcartoon film do, so that'theseseveral frames projected on the clouds inrapid sequence, as explained below, produces the illusion of motionpictures.

The operation of the device is as follows .Thearc being struck, and themotor started, the rotating scanning disk intercepts the light beamexcept where the apertures are opened by the electro-magnet unit H-J- -Kactivated by the current through the brush contacts on the zinc etchingto build up a motion picture in the sky. 7 Thus- The brush-carrying diskQ, and the scanning disk E rotate synchronously. The high spots of thepicture of each frame R sends ;current through the proper,electro-fnagnet, pulling .down the bar H (to the dotted pos tion, Fig.6) to open the corresponding aperture of the scanning disk, permittinglightto reach the cloudscrecn at the proper time, and thus build up afae-simile picture.

' While corresponding aperture shutters G of each'ra'dial group on thescanning disk are placed at different radial distances, the lower toopen and close all the shutters.

Thearmature bar H is of length which permits holding open each shutterin succession for the full width of the picture scanning movement. I 4

' Obviously I do not wish to limit myself to the employment of only themechanism shown, for this could be modified. But any 5multiplelight-beamintercepting device which can be so controlled by amaster-record to reproduce the record at the distant plane of contact ofthe beam would answen The word light-pencils is used herein todistinguish the light which passes the scanning apertures, the compositeof which make up the light-beam.

What I claim, is: Y

1. The combination of alight-beam projector, and rotary interceptingmeans having apertures. and means for opening and'closing said aperturesfor permittingjthe passage of said light-beam for only predeterminedareas.

and times.

2. The combination of a light-beam projector, rotary intercepting meanshaving apertures, and means carried by the rotary intercepting means forcovering and uncovering said apertures for permitting the passage ofsaid light-beain for only predetermined areas and times, and a' mastercontrol means i 1 disk, and means carried bysaid disk for cl0s-.connected to said intercepting means for giving a definite order tosaid projection areas and times.

3. A multiple-apertures rotary scanninging and opening said aperturesseparately.

4. A multiple-apertured rotary scanning device, and shutters carried bysaid device in the rotation thereof for limiting the light which maypass eachaperture. I

5. In a scanning'apparatus, the combination'of a plurality of sets oflightvalves, means for determining the order in which,

each set is to be effective in scanning, and

meansvfor operating predetermined valves in each set.

. 6. In a scanning apparatus, the combina tion of a plurality of sets oflight valves, means for determining the order'in which each set is to beeffective inscanning, and electrlcalmeans for variably operating one ormore valves in eachset.

7 In an image reproducing system means each set of light valves inoperation in cyclic order. V,

8. In an image reproducing mechanism a light beam. a pluralit of sets oflight valves, 7

each set adapted to e moved insuccession across said beam, means forrendering each set effective only as it is crossing said beam,

' and means including a travelingpicture film for controlling theeifectiveness of each valve in the particular set that is crossing saidlight heam. a

9. The combination of a surface having electric-current-contactinggraphic representations thereon, scanning means comprising a pluralityof.; circuit terminals contacting successively with saidscannedsurface,a light v beam electrically controlled by said contacting terminals,"and a perforated scanning disk having a plurality of sets of lightvalves, means for rotating said disk to cause eachset CGSSIOH.

In testimonywhereof I have afiixed my signature. v

CHARLES FRANCIS JENKINS.

of light valves to traverse said beam in succomprising a plurality ofsets of imageana- 'lyzers, each set adapted successively "to traversetheimage, and means including a plurality of sets of light valvescontrolled by sald analyzers, and means for bringing

